Batting High, At The Blue Blue Sky

Smokeface was proud to have been assigned a second apprentice. His training with Oakpaw was going well, and he was confident in her skills. Now he had been assigned Batpaw, a young cat with a mind ready to be moulded and skills to be sharpened. The smoky tom thought about his plans for the day as he made his way towards the apprentices' den to rouse Batpaw, eager to start training again.

The dark tom opened his eyes when he heard the steps of the warrior. He glanced at the gray cat and stood up in his four paws, ready to follow him. He assumed that he was in the apprentice den to start his education as an apprentice. Batpaw approached him, with a serious expression on his face.
"Good morning, Smokeface. Are you going to train me today?" The tom talked in a formal and respectful tone. Even if he was anxious for the training, he wanted to proof to the older cat that he was determined to learn everything he would teach him.

The smoky ton chuckeld as he got out of the way, allowing his apprentice to get out. He loved seeing the young cats willing to learn and hoping to become the greatest. "Yes, we are going out today. I will show you around the territory."

The younger tom nodded and stepped forward to be beside his mentor. With narrowed green eyes looking at the entrance of the den, Batpaw talked again to Smokeface.
"Then, please show me the way. I will follow you wherever you tell me."

Smokeface chuckled, seeing that the apprentice was not going to take a meal before their training, but didn't say anything. Whereas many cats prefered to have their bellies full and to have energy, the smoky warrior prefered training on an empty stomach. "Alright, let's head out." the tomcat meowed as they left camp in an easy trot. The warrior found it sometimes hard to believe that the RiverClan territory could change so much, but he had seen it all, Greenleaf as a kit, Leaf-fall as an apprentice, Leaf-bare as a warrior, and now came Newleaf, which seemed to conquer them all.

Batpaw walked quietly next to the warrior, admiring the territories of the clan. He was born in the Leaf-bare, so he wasn't able to see the territory without the snow until now. And It was beautiful. The young apprentice flicked his whiskers as he smelled the scents of the forest and the river. The dark tom smiled when he thought that today it was going to be his time to catch his first prey for the clan. He was happy.

Smokeface quivered his whiskers and followed the strong scent of water until he was by the river. Over the scent of fish floated the strong scent of trees, the landscape completely changing to thick forests over the torents lf the dark waters. "This is our border with ThunderClan. Cats of ThunderClan live in the woods and like eating mice and thrushes, from what I've heard." he ex0lained to his apprentice, eyeing the oppsite bank of the river for any enemy cats.

The young cat turned his head at the place that his mentor said. He narrowed his eyes and smelled the air trying to catch any scent from the other clan. Thunderclan... they lived in the woods like the smoky tom said but Batpaw couldn't understand why they preferred the trees instead of the water. Of course, the tall plants could give you some protection but nothing more. On the other side, the river was a place full of prey if you knew how to catch it and the swimming skills were more useful than climbing abilities.
"Riverclan and Thunderclan... fight often between each other here in the borders?" He asked still lookng the other side of the river with serious and cold eyes.

Smokeface looked at his paws, frowning. He didn't remember any conflict between them and ThunderClan. "No, not theough my time, at least. But, ehh, WindClan... they are difficult folk. Stay behind me." he meowed as he led his apprentice by the river banks until they reached the ever growing torrent of the gorge. The water swung inside with a deafening roar and the experienced warrior sunk his claws into the ground with a chill down his spine as he thought of the jutting rocks bellow.

The apprentice noticed the behavior of his mentor and imitated him, sinking his own claws on the ground. Batpaw watched the gorge quite surprised because of the strength of the falling water, wondering if someone had ever fallen in there. Probably yes. It wasn't too hard to slip in this wet floor.
He looked back to the smoky tom and with inquisitive green eyes he asked: "This is also a border between clans?"

Smokeface replied with a swift nod, appreciating his apprentice's quick thinking and logic. He didn't doubt that Batpaw would be a good warrior with those skills. "Over the gorge lays the territory of WIndClan. They dwell in the moorland, barely any trees to cover them. The have fast legs, but poor judgement." he meowed with a slight accent on the word 'poor'. "Farther ahead the gorge ends." he meowed as he padded forward alongside the rupture in earth, at a safe distance.

Batpaw followed Smokeface, looking with serious eyes the gorge. He had never met a cat from another clan, so he didn't know how they look like. But, anyways, he would soon know the scents from all clans when he finally participates in a gathering.
"Where are we going now?" The black and brown asked to his mentor, curious about the lesson of today.

Smokeface gazed over his shoulder, at his apprentice. "Now we will be going through the territory and I will teach you how to hunt water voles." he explained, at the same time scenting the air for any possible prey. Even though wish was plentiful now that the water was beginning to flow again, he was not one to trust nature easily and preffered to be sure of every aspect.

Batpaw smiled for a second when he knew that they were going to hunt. He never heard about the water voles and he was quite excited to see a rodent swimming on the river. Maybe they're easier to catch on the water than on the ground. At least, probably, it was going to be easier for a Riverclan warrior like him.
While the apprentice walked with his mentor, he unsheathed his claws sometimes in the ground, testing their velocity and strength. He would soon have to use it to catch a rodent for his clan. The first prey that he would ever catch to put in the fresh-kill pile.

OCC: Will we be using the hunting system?

OOC: Most likely, yes. Are you familiar with it?

Smokeface led his apprentice to a shielded clearing, scenting the fresh air for trace of prey. He could hear water voles that had made a trip inland scurrying insecurely through the foliage as they struggled to return to the water. The smoky warrior motioned Batpaw to sit down gently as he prepared to demonstrate. The warrior fell into a swift crouch, following after the smell of one of the tiny creatures which he intended to take down. When he was cose enough, the tomcat sprang and pinned the vole down, biting on it's scruff anf shaking the life out of it. He looked back at Btpaw, nodding for the apprentice to have a go himself while he scrapped dirt over his catch.

OOC: I haven't used the system mostly because it would be embarassing for Smokeface to not be able to catch it.